The Blend Youth Project team recently attended the East Midlands National Youth Strategy Roadshow in Beeston, joining organisations and professionals from across the region to explore the findings of the national consultation and what the new strategy means in practice.
The roadshow, Youth Matters: Delivering the National Youth Strategy Together, brought the sector together for a day of insight, data, collaboration and action. It provided an opportunity to understand how the emerging strategy reflects the real experiences of young people, access regional insights, and work alongside partners to shape what happens next at a local level.
For Blend, the event was particularly meaningful as it built on earlier work contributing directly to the strategy through the national ‘Deliver You’ campaign.
Putting Young People’s Voices at the Centre
As part of the ‘Deliver You’ campaign, led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Blend worked with over 40 young people from communities across Derbyshire to gather their views on the issues that matter most to them.
Through workshops, discussions and creative activities, young people shared their experiences and perspectives on topics including mental health, education, feeling heard, access to opportunities, and their hopes for the future.
The sessions were designed to be inclusive and supportive, ensuring a diverse range of voices could be heard. For many, it was their first opportunity to take part in a national consultation and contribute to a wider conversation about change.
Their feedback was submitted as part of the national consultation and has helped shape the development of the new National Youth Strategy.
From Insight to Action
Attending the Beeston roadshow allowed the Blend team to see how young people’s voices, including those from Derbyshire, are being reflected in emerging priorities and plans.
The event focused not only on sharing findings, but also on what comes next. It encouraged organisations to work together, build stronger partnerships and take practical steps to improve outcomes for young people in their communities.
By connecting local insight with regional and national thinking, the roadshow reinforced the importance of collaboration and a shared commitment to delivering meaningful change.
Blend’s Ongoing Commitment
Blend Youth Project delivered its ‘Deliver You’ work in partnership with Savanta, My Life My Say and the #iwill Movement, commissioned regionally through Youth Focus.
This work has created valuable opportunities for young people to influence decisions that affect their lives, while also building their confidence to share their views.
Adam Cope, Head of Youth Services for the Blend Youth Project, said:
“Being part of the ‘Deliver You’ campaign enabled young people to have an opportunity to be part of a national initiative around youth voices. It has been some time since young people in their communities have been able to feed back to decision makers what the positives and challenges are in Derbyshire.
This has highlighted the need for further engagement that Blend will facilitate to help young people share their opinions and build confidence. Being part of the campaign provided national exposure for young people to a political discussion and hopefully, through further work, will inspire future leaders.”
Looking Ahead
Blend Youth Project remains committed to ensuring that the voices of young people are not only heard, but acted upon. By continuing to create opportunities for meaningful engagement, we will play our part in shaping a future designed with young people, and for young people.